2025年5月初，菲律賓大學音樂系女高音及鋼琴家Ena Aldecoa教授受國立臺灣師範大學音樂學院邀請到訪，在所屬系所民族音樂研究所、音樂學系、表演藝術研究所進行三場關於藝術歌曲的活動：講座、獨唱會與大師班（德國及英語藝術歌曲）。獨唱會很精彩，民音所張海欣Joys老師後來對音樂會分享了評語。（見下）
"Art Song Across Cultures," recital of soprano Ena Maria R. Aldecoa
Review by Joys Cheung (Graduate Institute of Ethnomusicology, National Taiwan Normal University)
On May 8, 2025, Prof. Ena Aldecoa brought to the community of the National Taiwan Normal University and the public of Taiwan a brilliant concert of art song. The impressive program of 22 compositions set music to poems of more than ten languages, including German, French, Polish, Czech, Spanish, Russian, English, Chinese, Japanese, and the Hiligaynon and Cebuano languages in the Philippines. Such a diversity in the selection reflected Aldecoa’s profound engagement of art song as human creativity across cultures and expressive media. The brightness of her timbre had warm and supple qualities that could articulate finely both delicate details and energetic outbursts. Her stage presence had steady control and lively expressivity, embodying a unity between the voice, poetic images, and the body. The collaborative pianist, local Taiwanese artist Vincent Chang (Chang Yong-Shun), showed a sensitivity and skillfulness that worked seamlessly with the voice.
The 22 songs were grouped into a set of themes: Profundity of Music, Reflections on Life, Dreams of Love & Bliss, Longing Sadness, Metaphors, and Celebration through Music. The songs and themes were carefully selected, featuring life circumstances and emotions that correspond but with unique musical techniques and moods. With an encore piece, "Bayan Ko" composed by Constancio de Guzman (sung in Tagalog), 23 songs were performed.
The concert touched many in the audience. Most students among them, both from NTNU and beyond, stayed after the concert was over to greet and talk to Aldecoa and Chang. A student of GIEM at NTNU, Irina Chao, has shared the following thoughts and feelings:
"... I was deeply moved. The singer’s body language showed that art songs are works
with stories, plots, and emotions. I could feel the meaning of the song from the body
language, ... the singing voice was very clean, vibrating steadily in the air, and the
volume was controlled appropriately, lingering in my mind for a long time. ...
The singing takes us through different times and spaces, and through music, allows us
to hear different scenery and voices. Thanks for bringing such beautiful music."
Live performances of Philippino art songs are rarely staged in our community in Taiwan. We are grateful to have Prof. Aldecoa bringing to NTNU refined performances of art song across cultures, including songs of her own country.
Aldecoa教授與先生Tom Frinta首次來到臺灣，Frinta老師是維也納少年合唱團創辦人的家族後人，兩夫妻對於音樂及藝術歌曲的由衷熱愛，表露在他們的生活與敬業樂業的精進。Frinta老師首次來訪本所歐樂思廳，坐下來聆聽太太練唱一會，發現歐樂思廳的音效非常好，讚不絕口。Joys被感動，把情境錄影下來。回去馬尼拉後，Frinta老師開始生病。病中他還熱情地在媒體分享來臺灣的活動、與Joys分享德國音樂。後來老師在8月6日去世了，走時很安詳。懷念Tom Frinta，向Aldecoa教授致以慰問。
張海欣 Joys Cheung, 2025年10月1日
